What is the meaning of Hosea 3:2?

So I bought her

• Hosea obeys the Lord’s explicit command to reclaim his unfaithful wife (Hosea 3:1), mirroring how the Lord pursues Israel despite her spiritual adultery (Jeremiah 3:14).

• The purchase is not a mere metaphor; it is an actual transaction that visibly preaches God’s unwavering love (Hosea 1:2; Deuteronomy 7:8).

• This rescuing love anticipates the far greater redemption accomplished in Christ, “while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8).

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for fifteen shekels of silver

• Silver was the standard medium of payment in the ancient world, underscoring a real cost (Genesis 23:16).

• The sum—half the price of a typical slave (Exodus 21:32)—shows Gomer’s degraded state and Hosea’s willingness to pay whatever it takes.

• Silver often symbolizes redemption: Israel’s tabernacle ransom (Exodus 30:11-16) and Judas’s infamous thirty pieces (Matthew 26:15) both point to the ultimate price Jesus paid to set sinners free.

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and a homer

• Hosea adds a large quantity of barley, signaling that redemption involves more than mere coin; it encompasses daily provision (Psalm 23:1).

• Grain offerings throughout the Law expressed gratitude and fellowship with God (Leviticus 2:1-3). Hosea’s grain may hint that restored relationship brings nourishment and peace (Joel 2:19).

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and a lethech of barley

• A lethech—half a homer—rounds out the payment, perhaps because Hosea lacks enough silver but refuses to let slowness or poverty hinder love (2 Corinthians 8:9).

• Barley, the food of the poor (Ruth 3:15), reinforces that God stoops to meet us in humble circumstances (John 6:9-13).

• The combined payment, silver plus grain, illustrates both the costliness and completeness of redemption (1 Peter 1:18-19).

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summary

Hosea’s literal purchase of Gomer vividly foreshadows God’s steadfast, sacrificial love for His wayward people. A real payment of silver and barley proves that redemption costs, yet God gladly pays it. The scene invites us to marvel at the even greater price Jesus paid, ensuring that all who trust Him are bought back, provided for, and forever loved.